Bless and Be Blessed

One of the most abused and misapplied passages of Scripture is found within the teachings of Jesus, during what is commonly referred to as, The Sermon on the Mount, where he said, “Give, and it will be given to you:  good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom.  For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you” (Luke 6:38).  This verse is often quoted by television evangelists to suggest that by donating to their particular ministry that God will bless our lives–that ‘giving money’ into their ministry will result in a ROI (Return on Investment), perhaps even to the degree of a “hundred-fold” (Matt. 19:29).  Wow, give $10 and God will give you $100–interesting concept, bad theology.

There is, however, a Spiritual Law or Divine Principle involved in the words of Jesus and something that every person ought to understand because it actually works when applied correctly.  The Divine Principle is that when we “sow” into the lives of other people, in a real and genuine and heartfelt way, that genuine blessings will indeed follow–perhaps in unexpected ways, not necessarily financial, not necessarily material.  While it may be the case that one will reap financial benefits from the action of giving, the rewards extend far beyond the temporal blessings that most people associate with what Jesus was saying.

Jesus told his follows to “give” διδοτε is a Greek word that carries with it the idea of, “to bestow a gift, to grant, to supply or furnish necessary things, to reach out, extend, present.” The idea is that of approaching another person to a view toward meeting their needs and ministering to them, both physically and spiritually.  If one feeds the hungry and satisfies that temporary need, but fails to also minister to that person in meeting their spiritual need, the more important of the two things is neglected and the blessing is lost (Matt. 4:4).  Moreover, the idea of becoming a blessing to someone else also includes the principle that whatever assistance is rendered, nothing is expected from them in return.  Those who “give” with a view toward “getting” lose their opportunity to receive God’s very best for them.

The title of this article is Blessed and Be Blessed and not Blessed to be Blessed–there is a very real difference.  The Spiritual Principle of “sowing and reaping” (Gal. 6:7, implies that once the “seed” is sown the “harvest” is coming as the natural result of the process.  It is not that one gives of himself simply for the benefiting of getting something back from God, or from other people.  That would be a selfish motive and God expects better things from us.  However, the Law of “sowing and reaping” is certain–despite the motivation involved.  Much of the time the things that have manifested in our lives today are the actual result of what was sown yesterday.  This is not to say, however, that when bad things enter our lives that it is always our own fault.  The fact that other factors are involved in the process.  One who is the victim of a violent act from someone is certainly not responsible for the willful action of another whose intention it was to hurt them.  The Law of “sowing and reaping” has to do with those areas of our lives over which we have a certain amount of control.  Some of the things that enter into our lives are beyond our control and therefore falls outside the Spiritual Law under consideration.

Today there are literally thousands of people who are struggling and suffering from a variety of financial hardships and difficulties.  What can be done to change this?  Some of the problems of unemployment and the current recession are certainly beyond the control of any one person.  As much as the President of the United States and Congress would like to see every American working and being productive, their wishful thinking does not change the present reality.  However, suppose you are the person who is unemployed and struggling right now, what can you do to set into motion the Law of sowing and reaping that will have a positive effect on your circumstances?  Here is an interesting suggestion, but one that promises to work for every person who will actually apply the principle:

This, however, is not to suggest that you ignore your responsibility in diligently searching for gainful employment everyday consistently and doing everything possible to get a job.  However, after you have done the “necessary things” the first step is to actually put the Luke 6:38 principle into action by sowing yourself into the lives of other people.  When you volunteer, tell those who operate the organization about your present situation but that even though you cannot give financial resources to them you are willing to helping other people who are among the ‘less fortunate’–the homeless and hungry, and to devote your time and energy into helping other people.  This action will put you in the position of being near people who may know of resources about which you are not aware.  In addition, if you approach your volunteer work with a pure heart and honest motives, those around you will come to know your life and your circumstances and may actually help you in your situation.

By sowing yourself into the lives of other people, you will begin to feel more positive, happy and contented about what God has given your already.  It is in the spirit and attitude of thankfulness that God’s blessings will begin to flow into your life and circumstances.  The Law of God, the Spiritual Principle works, it works every time, for every person.  Your selfless actions will reap everlasting benefits as your life and character are transformed simply by finding a way to serve other people.  In order to be blessed you have to put yourself in the position where God can bless you.  Sitting at home on the couch, worrying about your home, your food, your finances never solves the problem.  The negative attitude and depression that often develops is more harmful than simply the fact that you cannot find a job.

Once the focus of attention is on God and on His blessings and goodness, there spirit of appreciation begins to operate in our lives.  The list of needs is something that we can remember in our prayers with the sense of expectation that God can and does provide for our needs as we “seek for the Kingdom of God” (Matt. 6:33; Phil. 4:19).  The principles given in this short article are meant to encourage every person to begin the process of becoming a blessing to other people so that the blessings of God can be released into our own lives as we serve and honor Him and His goodness.